The present invention relates to an elevating scraper elevator and more particularly relates to means for driving the conveyor of the elevator.
Elevators for elevating scrapers normally include a support frame having a drive shaft rotatably supported at an upper end thereof. A pair of drive sprockets are normally fixed to opposite end portions of the drive shaft and are respectively meshed with a pair of endless roller chains forming opposite side portions of the elevator.
In order to prevent undue wear of the drive sprocket and the chains, the drive sprockets have an uneven number of teeth which require them to be timed with each other so as to prevent the chain from jumping teeth and damaging the elevator. Heretofore, the timing of the drive sprockets have been maintained through the use of a relatively stiff drive shaft. However, when such a drive shaft is used, high shock loads applied thereto are often transferred through the drive train to the motor for driving the shaft.